Modi's party is set to take control of West Bengal in key election, a blow to opposition

NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party is poised to wrest control of the state of West Bengal, an opposition stronghold, in a key local election. The Election Commission of India released partial results showing the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead in at least 190 seats in the 294-member West Bengal state legislature. Final results are expected Monday evening. It would be a significant breakthrough for Modi’s party, which had tried for years to dislodge the All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP has never governed West Bengal, a politically influential state, where Banerjee - one of Modi’s most prominent critics - has held power since 2011. Opposition parties have sharply criticized the polls in West Bengal after the election commission removed millions of voters from electoral rolls. Three other states are also taking part in the latest election. The South Asian country of more than 1.4 billion people has 28 states and eight federal territories. Staggered state elections are held at different times across India, with a few state polls scheduled almost every year. India’s opposition faces a setback The outcome in West Bengal is expected to boost Modi’s